Khattar targets INLD, Congress on corruption, SYL canal

Wrapping up the discussion on the governor’s address, Khattar, who is otherwise known for calm persona, displayed an unusual aggression and skill during his two-and-a-half-hour address that INLD and the Congress disrupted frequently by raising counter questions against almost every issue that the CM touched upon.

Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday launched a multi-barrel offensive against the combative Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and the Congress, in an attempt to demolish the opposition on twin issues — peasantry and corruption.

Wrapping up the discussion on the governor’s address, Khattar, who is otherwise known for calm persona, displayed an unusual aggression and skill during his two-and-a-half-hour address that INLD and the Congress disrupted frequently by raising counter questions against almost every issue that the CM touched upon.

The INLD, Khattar said, was sticking to the emotive Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue in the vain hope of returning to power. “For the INLD, SYL stands for Satta Yun Loonga,” said Khattar, who peppered his speech with sarcasm to attack the INLD particularly, amid treasury benches thumping the benches.

He said the INLD was instigating the farmers and using the SYL canal issue as a ladder to come to power.

“Those who were neck deep in the ocean of corruption are accusing us of indulging in corruption,” Khattar said, referring to the Congress. “During the Congress’ decade long rule in Haryana, the catch word used to be BBC — badli, bharti and CLU,” he said, pointing out that eliminating corruption in recruitment and transfers was one of the main achievements of his government.

CM’s announcements

The government will start a 4-point programme for the upkeep and basic facilities in the cremation ground of every village in the state.

Free Medical camps for senior citizen women at community health centres and district hospitals.

Free sanitary pads for girls in the age bracket of 11-18.

The government will set up a 100-bed hospital at Panipat for mother-child care.

INLD stages walkout

Right from the beginning, the INLD kept disrupting the CM’s address. Finally, the INLD staged a walkout on the ground that his reply on law and order was unsatisfactory.

Transparency in governance, steps to eradicate corruption, clean administration, SYL canal, reforms in power sector, agriculture and equal development of every region of the state were among the over dozen-odd issues on which Khattar dwelt at length. “A strong message has gone out that now jobs are given only on merit. This government represents 2.5 crore people of Haryana. We believe in Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas,” he said.

“Earlier, there was a perception that more development works remained concentrated in regions from where chief ministers came,” he said. “I have told people in my constituency that development works in Karnal will happen in the same manner as in the rest of Haryana,” he said.

Asking the opposition to stick to constructive criticism, he said opposition parties even tried to make an issue when the governor said that some part of his address speech on the opening day of the assembly be treated as read.

“The opposition should play its role constructively,” he said.

Khattar claimed that out of the 4,500 CM’s announcements, work on 3,200 had either been completed or nearing completion. INLD’s Abhay Chautala had sought that a complete record pertaining to these announcements be placed before the House.

‘10 saal waala ghar’

Taking a dig at the INLD on the corruption issue, Khattar said his government has been taking every decision as per the law. The BJP leaders, he said, would not want to go to what he said: “10 saal wala ghar,”

He was referring to the imprisonment of INLD supremo OP Chautala in a recruitment scam. “10 saal wala ghar hamein yaad aata hai,” he said looking straight towards the leader of Opposition Abhay Chautala.

Agrees to all-party meet on SYL

Accepting a demand of opposition parties, Khattar agreed for an all-party meeting on the SYL canal issue even as he advised the opposition to desist from politicising it.

Khattar spent around an hour while listing out the steps his government has taken to deal with the issues concerning the farmers and the SYL canal. He repeatedly questioned why the then INLD government did not take steps to complete the SYL canal construction after the Supreme Court verdict in 2002.

He said: “We have taken a vow to ensure that Haryana gets every single drop of its share in SYL canal water.”

The CM said that a meeting will be held with officers of Uttar Pradesh government next month to resolve various issues concerning irrigation, including Haryana’s share in the Agra canal .

Around 100-km stretch of the Agra canal falls in Haryana and the farmers in various parts of southern Haryana get water from various channels which emanate from the river. At present, Haryana has to take no objection certificate (NOC) from UP for cleaning the canal since its control rests with UP, he said.